✨ One last summer fling in D.C.
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Hello, Reader!

Welcome to another week and another adventure. 😊

Even though back-to-school season makes it feel like summer is winding down, there’s still time for one last summer fling...

Washington, D.C., here we come!

The last time I visited our nation’s capital, I was 13 years old (that was more decades ago than I care to admit 😳). I still remember the awe of standing before the Lincoln Memorial all lit up at night. I can’t wait to see if it sparks the same feeling now, through the lens of a more seasoned traveler.

As we plan, the hardest part has been narrowing down all the possibilities. Every idea leads to three more must-sees! Does that happen to you, too?

Here’s what’s made it onto our itinerary so far:

⚾️ Play ball!

You know by now that we love baseball — and visiting new ballparks has become a fun excuse to explore new cities. This trip we’re catching an Orioles’ game in Baltimore and a Nationals’ game in D.C. With none of "our teams” playing (and all the teams sitting at the bottom of their leagues), we’ll be cheering for the home teams guilt-free. 😄

Like always, I got our tickets from StubHub and already ordered my home-team ball cap from Amazon. No standing in line at the team store, missing the game!

🎉 A birthday celebration

The National Zoo is throwing a party for Qing Bao, one of only a handful of giant pandas in North America. Since 1972, the Smithsonian has been leading conservation efforts that helped bring giant pandas back from the endangered species list in 2016. We're excited to join the celebration!

🏛️ A history lesson

D.C. is a history lover's dream. Many museums and monuments are free, but some require timed tickets — which meant doing more advance planning than usual.

We currently have tickets in our digital wallet for:

• The National Zoo (for Qing Bao’s birthday!)
• Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum​
• The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum​
• ​State of the Arts Night — an after-hours event at the Arts & Industries Building in collaboration with the Hirshhorn Museum, European Union and 10 embassies

Other museums, historic landmarks and special celebrations on our "things we could do" list:

• Head to the top of the Washington Monument (and a side trip to the original Washington Monument in Baltimore)
• Visit the many war memorials
• Make a nighttime return to the Lincoln Memorial
• Stop at the Babe Ruth Birthplace & Museum and get to know The Great Bambino better
• Stroll through the Art All Night festival, and
• Experience D.C.’s longest running neighborhood festival – Adams Morgan Day

We’d love your help! What are your favorite spots in and around the capital? Hit reply and let us know what we shouldn’t miss.

Until next week…

✈️ Your fellow wanderer, baseball fan and history buff